Respirator means



c. H. DocKsoN ETAL 2,226,150

Sept. 15, 1942.

RESPIRATOR MEAN 5 "Filed Deo. 2, 1937 U ons lS um@ n .n.sm m iwf/w hdm/MM Patented Sept. 15, 1942 l C E i RESPIRATOR MEANS Charles H. Dockson, Detroit, and Harold S. Davis, Grosse Pointe Park, Mich., assig'nors to The Martindale Electric Com a corporation of Ohio Application Deeember z, 1937,1seria1 Ne. 177,736

5 Claims.

means of this character.

In the drawing accompanying this specification, and forming. a part of this application, there 'is shown, for purposes of illustration, one form which the invention may assume, and in this drawing:

Figure 1 Iillustrates the embodiment of the invention in position on the face of a user,

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan View of the embodiment before being positioned on the face of a user,

Figure 3 shows a fragmentary profile of the user, with the embodiment in position,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary sectional View corresponding substantially to the line 4-4 of Figure 3,

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional View corresponding substantially to the line 5 5 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 is a fragmentaryenlarged sectional view corresponding substantiallyr to the line 6-6 of Figure 3.

The embodiment of the invention comprises a plate I'Il, formed of any suitable exible material. In this particular instance, the plate is formed of soft rolled aluminum. The plate I is generally oval-shaped in plan View, and has arcuate slots Il at its sides for receiving loops I2 formed onstrips I3, which strips may be formed of resilient material, and may be readily connectable and disconnectable by means of a clasp connection I 4.

Referring particularly to Figures l and 2, the top margin of the plate I0 is recessed as shown at i5, providing a nose receiving portion. The contour of the recessed margin I is preferably formed by a series of merging curves, so as to avoid sharp corners which might cause injury to a user. The entrance to the recess I5 is provided by a pair of spaced rounded portions I6,

'which are adapted to be disposed at opposite sides of the wearers nose, these portions I6 merging with substantially semicircular auxiliary recesses I'I, which in turn merge with a common auxiliary recess I8. Rounded crests or projections ISI are formed intermediate the auxiliary recesses I'I and I3, these projections I9 being spaced apart a distance substantially corresponding to the spacing of a users nostrils. The bottom of the auxiliary recess I`8 is below the bottoms of the auxiliary recesses I 1, as shown by the dash lines in Figure 2.

The lower margin of the plate Il), referring to Figure 1, is recessed as at 20, to provide clearpany, Lakewood, Ohio,

ance for a portion of the users chin. Intermediate the recesses I5 and 20, is an elongated aperture 2l, adapted to be positioned adjacent the users mouth. A plurality of smaller apertures 22 are formed adjacent the side margins of the plate ID, as best shown in Figure 1.y

Means pervious to air are attached to the plate I0, and as here shown, this means comprises a pad 23, formed of fibrous material 2i, such as cotton or the like, interposed between layers of fabric material 25, such as gauze or the like. The pad 23 is also preferably oval-shaped, and of a slightly greater overall size than the plate I0, and this pad overlies one side of the plate Il). Portions of the pad 23 are rolled over the adjacent margins of the plate III, and spring clips 26 engage the pad 23 at the rolled-over portions, to hold the pad 23 to the plate I0. It Will be obvious that the pad 23 can be readily removed, and another similar pad attached to the plate I0.

Before the respirator means is positioned on the users face, the plate I0 and pad 23 are preferably flat, as shown in Figure 2. In use, the respirator means is held to the users face, by connecting the strips I 3 to each other by engagement of the clasp connection I4, the connected strips forming a band about the users head, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. The arcuate slots II are so constructed and arranged to permit the band to adjust itself to different head shapes, and additionally, the slots provide for adjustment of the loops I2 of the strips I3, so that the band can be worn above the users ears, as shown in full lines in Figure 1, or this band can be worn below the users ears, as shown in dotted lines in this ligure, without causing objectionable twisting of the loop portions I2 adjacent the slots Il.

The pad 23 lies against the face of a user, and the nose of the user extends through the recess l5 of the plate I0. The adjacent portion of the pad 23 is forced through the recess I'5, and is caused to overlie the nostrils of the user and the adjacent part of the nose, as shown in Figures 1, 3, and 5. The projections I9 urge the adjacent portions of the pad 23 into the nostrils of the user, as shown in Figures 4 and 5, these portions of the pad 23 bearing against surfaces of the nostrils, and substantially seal the nostrils to the extent that substantially all air passing through the nasal passages must pass through the adjacent portions of the pad 23. As best seen in Figure 4, the bottom of the auxiliary recess I8 is proportioned with respect to the projections I9 and the bottoms of the auxiliary recesses Il, so that substantially no presface of the cartilage separating the nasal passages.

The pad 23 covers the aperture 2l, and also forms a covering adjacent the chin recess 20 to protect the chin of the user from contact with the plate lll at this point. The pad 23 also covers the smaller apertures 22, but permits ventilation of the users face adjacent these apertures. Because of the exible nature of the `plate ,lil and pad 23, the respirator means forms itself to closely follow the adjacent contour of the face, and substantially all air inhaled or exhaled by the wearer of the respirator means must pass through the pad 23.

It will be obvious that the pad 23 removes -deleterious substances from the air inhaled -by a user, either through the nose or mouth, while at the same time, also removes deleterious substances which may be exhaled by the user, either through the nose or mouth. The pad 23 may be impregnated, if desired, with any suitable means to improve its ltering qualities, and may,

in some instances, be impregnated with a suitable medicament for germicidal purposes.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art vlthat we have accomplished at least the principal object of our invention, and it also will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the embodiment herein described may be variously changed and modified, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and that the invention is capable of uses and has advantages not herein specifically described; hence it will be appreciated that the herein disclosed embodiment is illustrative only, and that our invention is not limited thereto.

We claim:

l. Respirator means, comprising: plate means, adapted to fit that portion of the face of a wearer adjacent the nose, said plate means having a recess adapted to pass the nose, the deiining margin of said recess being so formed to provide a pair of projections spaced-apart a distance substantially corresponding to the spacing of the nostrils of a wearer; means pervious to air, adapted to be interposed between said plate means and the face of a wearer and to overlie `the nostrils of the wearer when said respirator -means is in operative position; and means for holding said respirator means in operative position on the face of a wearer, said holding means being constructed and arranged to engage the head of the wearer, and to exert an upward pull on said plate means, so that said projections urge portions of said pervious means into the respective nostrils of a wearer.

2. Respirator means, comprising: plate means, adapted to fit that portion of the face of a wearer adjacent the nose, said plate means having a recess adapted to pass the nose, the defining margin of said recess being so formed to provide a pair of projections spaced-apart a distance substantially corresponding to the spacing of the nostrils .of a wearer, and an auxiliary recess between said projections; means pervious to air, adapted to be interposed between said plate means and the face of a wearer and to -overlie the nostrils of the wearer when said respirator means is in operative position; and means for holding said respirator means in operative on the face of a wearer, said holding means being constructed and arranged to engage the head of the wearer, and to exert an upward pull on said plate means, so thatI said projections urge portions of said pervious means into the respective nostrils of a wearer, said auxiliary recess being of suflicient size so that the cartilage separating the -nasal passages is substantially free of pressure produced by the upward pull of said holding means.

3. A respirator, comprising: support means, defining-an area subtending the mouth of a wearer When the respirator is in position on the wearer; filter means, constructed to be disposed between `said support means and the face of the wear; and said support means comprising a pair of projections spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the spacing of the nostrils of a wearer and constructed and arranged to press portions of said iilter means within the nostrils of the wearer when the respirator is in position on the wearer; and holding means, comprising means adapted to engage the head of a wearer spaced from the nostrils of the wearer, constructed vto hold the respirator in position on a wearer with said projections pressing portions of said filter means within the nostrils of the wearer.

4. A respirator, comprising: support means, dening an area subtending a portion of the face of a wearer when the respirator is in position on the wearer; lter means, constructed to be disposed between said support means and the face of the wearer; and said support means comprising a pair of projections and a portion connecting said projections, said projections being spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the spacing of the nostrils of a wearer and constructed and arranged to press portions of said lter means within the nostrils of the wearer when the respirator is in position on the wearer, and said connecting portion being so constructed and arranged with respect to said projections as to exert substantially no pressing force against that part of said lter means intermediate said spaced projections; and holding means, comprising means adapted to engage the head of a wearer, constructed to hold the respirator in position on a wearer with said projections pressing portions of said lter means within the nostrils of the wearer.

5. A respirator, comprising: support means, defining an area subtending a portion of the face of a wearer when the respirator is in position on the wearer; filter means, constructed to be disposed between said support means and the face of the wearer, and having at least a portion in .overlying relation with respect to the nostrils of the wearer; and said support means comprising a pair of projections spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the spacing of the nostrils of a wearer, and each of said projections being constructed and arranged to press that portion of said filter means overlying a respective nostril slightly inwardly of such nostril so that such filter portion engages the marginal surface dening the nostril and thus prevents air passing through the nostril other than through said air-pervious means; and holding means, comprising means adapted to engage the head of a wearer, constructed to hold the respirator in position on a wearer with said projections pressing portions of said lter means within the nostrils of the wearer.

CHARLES H.- DOCKSON. HAROLD S. DAVIS. 

